PURPOSE: Meniscus contains heterogeneous populations of cells that have not been fully characterized. Cell phenotype is often lost during culture; however, culture expansion is typically required for tissue engineering. We examined and compared cell surface molecule expression levels on human meniscus cells from the vascular and avascular regions and articular chondrocytes while documenting changes during culture-induced dedifferentiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of 16 different surface molecules were examined by flow cytometry after monolayer culture for 24 h, 1 week, and 2 weeks...

BACKGROUND: Outcomes after transtibial pull-out repair for posterior meniscal root tears remain underreported, and factors that may affect outcomes are unknown. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to compare patient-centered outcomes after transtibial pull-out repair for posterior root tears in patients <50 and ≥50 years of age. We hypothesized that improvement in function and activity level at minimum 2-year follow-up would be similar among patients <50 years of age compared with patients ≥50 years and among patients undergoing medial versus lateral root repairs...

PURPOSE: To investigate the relation between chondromalacia patella and the sulcus angle/trochlear depth ratio as a marker of trochlear morphology. In addition, we also planned to show the relationship between meniscus damage, subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness as a marker of obesity, patellar tilt angle and chondromalacia patella. METHODS: Patients with trauma, rheumatologic disease, a history of knee surgery and patellar variations such as patella alba and patella baja were excluded...

BACKGROUND: The collagen ultrastructure of the discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) has not been precisely defined. PURPOSE: To investigate the ultrastructure of the DLM, focusing on its collagen fibers, and to compare the collagen net architecture between intact and torn DLMs using the Collagen Meniscal Architecture (CMA) scoring system. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive laboratory study. METHODS: Thirty specimens were taken from 30 patients with a diagnosis of a complete DLM using a 1-piece technique...

There is a greater incidence of discoid meniscus in Asian countries than in Western countries, and bilateral discoid menisci are also common. The discoid meniscus may be a congenital anomaly, and genetics or family history may play a role in the development of discoid menisci. Because the histology of discoid meniscus is different from that of normal meniscus, it is prone to tearing. Individuals with a discoid meniscus can be asymptomatic or symptomatic. Asymptomatic discoid menisci do not require treatment...

This article aims to evaluate factors associated with chondral and meniscal lesions in primary and revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions. ACL reconstructions from 2001 to 2008 at a single institution were retrospectively analyzed. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between chondral and meniscal injuries and age, gender, tear chronicity, additional ligamentous injuries, sport type, and participation level. Of the 3,040 ACL reconstructions analyzed, 90.4% were primary reconstructions and 9...

PURPOSE: To assess intraobserver repeatability and interobserver and intersession reproducibility of lower tear meniscus height (LTMH) measurements obtained using a new anterior segment swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) device. Agreement with Fourier-domain (FD) OCT (Spectralis) was also examined. METHODS: In an observational cross-sectional study, one eye of 29 healthy subjects was randomly imaged with both devices at our center. Two examiners then randomly measured the LTMH using the software's calipers...

Conjunctivochalasis (CCh) disrupts tear flow and damages tear film stability. This study sought to evaluate the tear stability and contrast sensitivity of patients with CCh on whom CCh excision was performed. The study included 39 eyes from 39 patients; all patients had eyes with grade 2 or 3 CCh, underwent CCh excision, and were evaluated before and three months after the surgery. The evaluated variables included the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), the tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining, corneal surface irregularity, Schirmer's I test, the tear meniscus area (TMA), and contrast sensitivity...

Arthroscopic repair of bucket-handle meniscal tears is difficult due to their complex pathology. Many meniscal repair techniques such as all-inside, inside-out, and outside-in have been described for the treatment of these tears. Loss of reduction is a likely complication with the use of new-generation, all-inside suture instruments, as the tip of the needle is extracted following advancement of the first implant behind the capsule. The complication may be encountered quite often and renders the use of the meniscus repair instrument unusable and causes an irreparable iatrogenic injury in the meniscus...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the preoperative anamnestic details between patients with an arthroscopic diagnosis of bucket handle and other tear patterns of the medial meniscus in stable knees. METHODS: A total of 204 patients (mean age 49.3 ± 13 years) were included in the study. The mean age was 49.3 ± 13 years. The study group included 65 patients (63 males, 2 females) with an arthroscopic diagnosis of bucket handle tear and the control group included 139 patients (90 males, 49 females) with non-bucket handle tear patterns...

BACKGROUND: Magnetic Resonance Imaging is an appropriate screening tool before therapeutic arthroscopy, making diagnostic arthroscopy unnecessary in most patients. This study aims to evaluate the MRI findings in knee injuries and diagnostic value of low Strength MRI for assessing Meniscal and cruciate ligament tear. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted on patients undergoing "Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Knee" for injuries of the knee and excluded patients undergoing MRI for other causes, poor diagnostic quality MRI and post operative MRI...

Objective: To assess the application of Keratograph 5M in evaluating tear film and meibomian gland function in patients with dry eye. Methods: A total of 144 eyes were recruited in the study, in which 72 eyes were from patients diagnosed with dry eye and 72 eyes were from healthy subjects. All subjects finished following tests or examinations:ocular surface disease index (OSDI) to evaluate eye symptoms; Keratograph 5M examination to obtain tear meniscus height (TMH), noninvasive tear break-up time (NIBUT) including first NIBUT (NIBUT-Fir) and average NIBUT (NIBUT-Ave), and infrared meibography; and fluorescein sodium staining to obtain fluorescein tearbreak-up time (FBUT)...

Isocyanate-terminated adhesive amphiphilic block copolymers are attractive materials to treat meniscus tears due to their tuneable mechanical properties and good adhesive characteristics. However, a drawback of this class of materials is their relatively long curing time. In this study, we evaluate the use of an amine cross-linker and addition of catalysts as two strategies to accelerate the curing rates of a recently developed biodegradable reactive isocyanate-terminated hyper-branched adhesive block copolymer prepared from polyethylene glycol (PEG), trimethylene carbonate, citric acid and hexamethylene diisocyanate...

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to assess the prevalence and evolution of intrameniscal signal-intensity alteration in subjects with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear over 24 months and compare clinical outcome and changes of cartilage between subjects with and those without this meniscal abnormality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-seven subjects with an ACL tear were screened for intrameniscal signal-intensity alteration. Morphologic and compositional MRI was performed before ACL reconstruction and 12 and 24 months after ACL reconstruction...

Decellularized scaffolds composed of extracellular matrix (ECM) hold promise for repair and regeneration of the meniscus, given the potential for ECM-based biomaterials to aid in stem cell recruitment, infiltration, and differentiation. The objectives of this study were to decellularize canine menisci in order to fabricate a micronized, ECM-derived scaffold, and to determine the cytocompatibility and repair potential of the scaffold ex vivo. Menisci were decellularized with a combination of physical agitation and chemical treatments...

PURPOSE: Meniscus tears are a common knee injury and are associated with the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate potential OA mediators in the synovial fluid and serum of meniscus tear subjects compared to those in the synovial fluid of radiographic non-OA control knees. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen subjects with an isolated unilateral meniscus injury and six subjects who served as reference controls (knee Kellgren-Lawrence grade 0-1) were recruited...